Originally posted by Calvibaptist:
Who doesn't God elect to save, those of "unbelief",
Have you ever read Romans 9? God says (this is a quote, unlike what you typically do), "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
What is Paul's conclusion to this statement?
Romans 9:16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Notice he says it is not of him who wills or of him who runs (exerts). What happened to man's free will? God's mercy is not dependant on man's will but wholely on God.
"Under the law", God is not "obligated" to save any, and he is no respecter of sinners. (persons)
God's "mercy" was offered to the "Whole world", not by works, but by "FAITH".
if God's will is "Sovereign" how do you explain some perishing when Scripture plainly states the God wasn't "WILLING" for any to perish????
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
How do you explain it? Is God's WILL ever thwarted? If God truly desires something will it not happen?
Are you saying it wasn't "Really" God's desire for none to perish???
Did Jesus do the "WILL OF THE FATHER", so why did he come, not to condemn the world, but that the world MIGHT BE saved, and why did he die the sins of the "Whole world" if is wasn't "Really" the desire of the Father???
This verse is difficult for anyone. For the Calvinist it is difficult to explain God's desire that all come to repentance with Scriptures teaching that God did not elect everyone. For the Arminian it is difficult to explain God's desire that all come to repentance with the obvious fact that not everyone comes to repentance while still maintaining the Scriptural truth that no one can "stay His hand."
No, it's "very simple", Salvation is offer to "ALL",
IF (choice) they believe, or have "Faith".
Calvinist seem to be "extremely ignorant" of the role "PERSONAL FAITH" has in the plan of salvation,
"Sovereign will" totally eliminates any requirements of "PERSONAL FAITH" toward being saved.
Mr 5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter,
thy faith hath made thee whole;
Mr 10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way;
thy faith hath made thee whole.
Lu 18:42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight:
thy faith hath saved thee.
THY FAITH is not "God's faith".
And does that match with the stated position/view of God toward the world (loved the world) and the stated purpose/goal of Jesus's mission to the world. (dying for all sins, whole world might be saved)
"LOVE" fulfills the law, but "predestination" makes God out to be a "SINNER" because he doesn't "LOVE THE WHOLE WORLD".
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
What about the command in 1 John that tells us to not love the world? Obviously the word is used in different ways in different contexts.
Are we back to "world" doesn't mean "world", "All Men" isn't "All Men"??
Let me put it this way, Jesus didn't come to "CONDEMN THE WORLD" and died for the sins of the "WHOLE WORLD", because God love the "world", how many does that included in "World"???
The offer of "WHOSOEVER WILL" is a "LIE" if "Sovereign Will" exist.
A little Greek lesson here. The words translated "whosoever will" are ho pisteuown. Literally it is "the believing ones." This is not an offer to all of humanity on equal footing before God that if they exercise their free will and choose to believe they will have everlasting life. It is a statement that everyone who believes will have eternal life. Nothing more, nothing less.
And conversely, "WHOSOEVER WON'T" believe is condemned
BECAUSE "THEY" won't believe, if God wasn't "WILLING" for any to perish, just who's "WILL" is being exercised, Man's or God's???
Let me ask you a question: When God gives a command, does that necessitate that we have the ability to obey that command on our own?
Breaking "commandments" has always been and always will be an "option" of man, why call me lord and do not the things I ask??
De 11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God,
Jos 24:15 choose you this day whom ye will serve;
Ro 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
People have been held accountable/judged for the decision they've made since the "beginning",
This is not denied by any Calvinist that has ever lived. The point is that EVERYONE apart from a special grace of God follows their choices away from God and to the pit of hell.
Not under "Sovereign will/predestination",
SOME are never given a "Choice", (Ro 9)
Calvin says the reason some remain unsaved is because God's calling is "ineffectual", "resistable" to them, not because they chose not to believe.
This makes God a "respecter of person" with his calling and Jesus dying for the sins of the whole world, "USELESS", since God didn't make it possible for them to be saved.
but calvin said, Oh no, we don't have the "FREE WILL" to chose between God/Satan, the choice is not man's, but God's, however God will Judge/condemn "unbelief" as if it was the person's fault through "predestination".
There you go pulling a Calvin quote out of your hat that he never said. Where is your reference for this?
Predestination
God doesn't operate a "Kangaroo Court", as Judge, he's totally "unbias" in issuing his decisions based on belief/unbelief, of which the "Defendant" is "TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE".
to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
I'm not sure how this verse relates to your point. Romans 6 is dealing with sanctification (which is a part of the process of salvation
, not justification. In reference to your courtroom analogy, you are correct. God is totally unbiased and His decisions are based on belief/unbelief, of which the "Defendant" is "TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE." I think I got the quote right. And the Bible (from the lips of Jesus, Paul and John) tells us that everyone is guilty and no one can choose Him unless the Father draws him. All that the Father draws will come to Him, so it is not a universal wooing of the Holy Spirit. That's in John 6, by the way.
Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
will draw all men unto me.
How many will he draw???
Ac 17:30 but now commandeth
all men every where to repent:
I'd suggest learning a little about "LAW", "JUSTICE", and especially why "lady law" is "Blindfolded".
I'm not sure what you mean by this...
The "Blindfold" prevents the "law" from "SEEING" the defendant except through the "EYES OF THE LAW", (no respector of persons) and according to the law, innocent/guilty.
God/Jesus offer a "Pardon" to "ALL", the "Choice" to yield to whom they will serve is up to the defendants to make, not the Judge, he only "Administer the law as it requires", death to any who still owe the "wages of sin".
God will "NEVER" send any to hell as you interpret Ro 9, in rejecting Jesus, they condemn themselves, God/Jesus/plan of salvation was "DESIGNED" to prevent "ANY" from perishing.